Number of people aged over 65 to grow by 65% by 2036: Wake-up call required

The Central Statistics Office offered a range of challenging population projections yesterday. They were, mostly, a continuation of well-established trends, though the scale of change may be surprising in particular instances.

The population, which stood at 4.74m in 2016, is projected to increase to between 5.33m and 5.81m souls. Dublin’s population is expected to increase by 31.9%, from 1.34m in 2016 to 1.76m by 2036. That, it is anticipated, will represent 31.6% of the State’s population.